Daisy's Diary
by notcreativeenoughtomakeone
Summary: Ten years after Yumi and Ulrich break up, she's a now a bestselling young adult author. When an opportunity presents itself, Yumi decides to take one last chance on getting herself a happy ending.
1. Daisy's Diary

**This is a sequel to Dear Diary, taking place roughly 10 years later.**

* * *

 _"I lean around the corner and there he is. I'd probably die of embarrassment if he turned toward me at this moment. Just a silly girl quietly appreciating him from a distance, my almond eyes eager to gaze upon him._

 _"Sven's on the rugby field, stretching with his teammates and laughing at whoever's comment. I'm just the weird girl poking her head around the building. I'm too scared to just walk up and talk to him. Unfortunately Elizabeth isn't._

 _"She just strolls up and inserts herself into the conversation. Thankfully he brushes off this daily attempt and twists at his hips to loosen to stretch his muscles. He must have felt someone's eyes on him, because he suddenly had a laser beamed focused look straight at me. I immediately and unintentionally let out a small squeak and slam my back against the wall. Commence heart explosion."_

Yumi read the first chapter of her newest book to a giggling crowd of young girls and a dozen older women. Her older fans said it made them feel nostalgic of their childhood. After reading the first chapter, the entire room became infectiously girly with squeals of excitement.

After a quick question and answer session, Yumi sat at a table where she autographed books and made small chit chat with her fans.

"Who is this for?" Yumi asked with a smile.

"Pauline," a young thirteen year old replied, unable to hide how excited she was.

"Do you go by Polly?"

"I do, yeah," She said with a large over exaggerated nod. Yumi signed and handed it back, "Thank you."

"You did great today," Yumi heard a voice say as a turned over her shoulder and saw her agent Monica, "Get ready though, Frankfurt's crowd is estimated to be twice this size."

Yumi saw a book land on the table from her peripheral and opened it without looking.

"Then I'll sign for longer...so who is this for?" Yumi asked, looking down at the book.

"The character basis for Sven," a male voice answered, and Yumi froze.

With the tip of of the pen on the back of the cover, she slowly lifted her head. Standing in front of her was a man with cropped brown hair. He was in a jeans and a shirt with a jacket on top with his hands in his pockets. He was tall and muscular with a broad shoudlers and large biceps.

"But I usually go by Ulrich," Ulrich said with a smile.

* * *

Yumi signed the last book and the crowd dissipated. Yumi left out the front doors ten minutes after it was clear and found Ulrich leaning against the wall of the building. They sat across from each other at a cafe around the corner where Yumi ordered a tea and Ulrich ordered a beer.

"You didn't really expect to be in my neck of woods and not see me?" Ulrich asked.

"I rarely see anyone anymore, but I'm glad you decided to pay me a visit. How long has it been?" Yumi asked and Ulrich thought.

"William's wedding I think," Ulrich said and Yumi shook her head.

"I missed their wedding, but I made New Years right after that."

"I'm just trying to think of when they got married."

"Eight years ago?" Yumi asked.

"That's Jeremie and Aelita, William got married after he graduated, so five years then? Either way it's been too long," Ulrich said, sipping his beer and placing it down on the table.

"Agreed," Yumi said with a smile, "How have you been?"

"Pretty good, I just finished school, so now I have a nice little MD next to my name," Ulrich said and Yumi smiled wider.

"Wow, congratulations Dr. Stern."

"Thank you, but that's nothing compared to three best sellers, a movie deal and a tween girl legion," Ulrich said and Yumi giggled.

"Didn't take you that long to realize who was who, huh?" Yumi asked and Ulrich shook his head.

"Only one problem, Sven's dumber than me," Ulrich said and Yumi laughed, "I mean, I can't see that guy being a doctor."

"Yeah, he wasn't in the original drafts. My editor thought he needed to be more of a lovable oaf. I wanted it published so I listened, but I've been gradually making him smarter than he appears."

"I've noticed. Is the editor the reason why Sven's older than Daisy?" Ulrich asked

"Apparently my target demographic doesn't fawn over younger boys," Yumi said with a smile, "And you play rugby because the boys are more masculine. And we don't practice martial arts, because it's hard to sell a PG book with Sven and Daisy banging on the mats."

"Maybe your editor was on to something. You've sold how many copies?" Ulrich asked and Yumi shrugged.

"I guess, but I wanted to say something different. Star athlete who's insecure and can't even approach a boy she knows full well how he feels. A popular girl who loves going to school because she can get away from her parents. That became dorky Daisy loves the athlete and blah blah blah," Yumi said while rolling her eyes, "Movie script will probably be more deluded when that starts going through drafts."

"I'm sure Aleta will drag uncle Ulrich to go see it," Ulrich said, Aleta being Jeremie and Aelita's oldest daughter.

"How old is she now?"

"She's seven. I went to see them last Christmas and they got their hands full."

"Four kids will do that," Yumi said and Ulrich held up his hand and extended all of his fingers, "Five?"

"She's seven months pregnant right now," Ulrich said and Yumi smiled, "You should check your emails."

"Now I'm afraid to, I'll have five hundred messages, finding out I missed births," Yumi said and Ulrich finished his beer.

"I'm going out there next month for a week. Jeremie is taking some time off and I'm going to help them get a few nights of romance in before the baby," Ulrich said.

"That sounds fun, but next month I'm in America for a bidding war. My publisher doesn't have a branch in North America, so we're looking for a publisher over there. Several have expressed interest, so we're rolling the dice and having them bid for publishing rights."

"Good luck, hope you get a ridiculous offer. I was hoping you'd go out to see them too, but I understand you're busy."

They both hugged each other and parted way, Ulrich walking down the street, Yumi taking two steps and watching him leave around the corner. Yumi looked down, and took in deep breathe to fuel a sigh. After a moment she turned and walked the other way.


	2. The Man From Berlin

Yumi woke up in her hotel room from the sound of her agent knocking on her door. Groaning loudly, she turned to her clock and saw her agent had no reason to wake her up, it still being four hours until the engagement. Sitting up she looked down at herself in nothing but a tank top and a pair of panties, so grabbed a set of shorts and decided a bra was too cumbersome.

Looking through the peephole to make sure who it was, Yumi slid the chain off the door then pulled it open.

"What the hell Monica?" Yumi asked.

"Yumi without makeup, not much different," Monica said and gestured to be let in.

"Fantastic, what?"

"Have you checked the fan page yet?" Monica asked and Yumi looked at her, as if this was the first time she heard of it.

"What?"

"Where's your laptop?" Monica asked as she saw it on the desk. Leaning over the seat tucked under the desk she opened the laptop and began typing. A moment later she asked Yumi to have a look.

Some fans of _Daisy's Diary_ had created a fan website that Yumi had never heard of. The top article on it at the moment had a feature picture which showed her having drinks with Ulrich.

 _'Author Yumi Ishiyama has drinks with a tall dark and handsome, but ultimately unknown man. Rumors are already circulating. Old boyfriend, old friend, tinder date? Your guess is as good as ours.'_ Yumi scrolled down and saw some of the comments.

 **DxS4life:** _'Hot enough to be a male escort.'_

 **Bored_ &_inlove: **_'Hard to imagine the author of Dorky Daisy can get guys like that.'_

 **Dorky_Daisy** : _'Look at her face, there's history.'_

 **Sven10:** _'Theory, old boyfriend! Wants to get back with her now that she's famous.'_

 **Pushing_Daisy's:** _'There goes her whole relatable thing.'_

 _'Comment was marked as spam and deleted by moderator.'_

"All of my fans are stalkers. Great," Yumi said and sat on her bed.

"Who is he?" Monica asked.

"A friend I went to Kadic with, nothing more," Yumi said. Monica knowing that was a half truth.

"I take one look at your face in those pictures…"

"Pictures?"

Yumi stood up and clicked on the first one only to discover it was the cover of an album. Some of her fans either had very expensive lenses or got ridiculously close them.

"You're playing with your hair, you're biting your lip, you're all smiles and giggles, and you look like a fifteen year old girl on a date with the team captain. Who is he really?"

"My friend from boarding school," Yumi said and Monica flashed her a look, "that I had a crush on for years, and I dated near the end of high school."

"Ex boyfriend," Monica said with a grin, "Why was that so hard to say?"

"He's Sven," Yumi said and laughed, "He's who I based Sven off of."

Monica opened her mouth in shock but didn't make a noise. She looked away and paced, trying to think of a way to spin this into great press.

"Wow, Sven returns. What's his name, I'm not putting it out there, I just want to know the history so we can respond and stop the fans from going too conspiracy on us."

"Ulrich. He was my first boyfriend...and a few other firsts," Yumi said and Monica laughed.

"Please tell me he was that hot in high school."

"Pretty close," Yumi said and Monica giggled.

"Way to go girl. What happened?"

"I wasn't ready for a relationship," Yumi said, Monica scowling at her, "I was very insecure when I was younger. I would have tore his head off if he looked at another girl, and that's not fair to him. I would have been a psychotic girlfriend, and he deserved better than a bitch. So we broke up after only a few weeks."

"You put out that fast?"

"We had been hot for each other for three years before we dated. He was also my sparring partner for martial arts. Every time we rolled on the mats I had to wring out my panties. I'm surprised we had our date first."

"I think we should respond, before the rumors get crazier. The craziest fans will still be crazy, you can't fix that," Monica said and Yumi shrugged.

"Fine."

* * *

' _In response to everyone asking me who that man was at the cafe yesterday, I have two things to say. First I would ask if the community would please respect my privacy and not post my location and personal life on the internet. Not everyone has the best in mind for me like you guys. Second, the man is an old friend of mine from boarding school who lives in Berlin and we agreed to get drinks while I was in town. I will not comment further on the relationship, just that we're old friends. Thank you. - Yumi.'_

"I will not comment further?" Monica said to Yumi just as the next book signing was about to start, "Holy shit, could you say 'we used to fuck and I don't want to talk about it' any louder?"

"I thought it sounded good," Yumi said as the introduction was almost done.

"I thought it sounded like you really should let me proofread your social media," Monica said and Yumi laughed, a moment later her stepping out.

Yumi said a few things then read the first chapter to a group of tween girls. The occasional flash would illuminate the room and then it went into the question and answer portion. The normal questions about her own insecurities when she was younger were asked, as well as her inspirations and if Daisy and Sven get together.

"Who was that man in Berlin?" A girl asked, the entire room murmuring. Yumi chuckled.

"A friend I went to Kadic Academy with. I have friends everywhere so when I'm close we meet up."

"Is he Sven, or at least who he's based off of?" Another girl asked, the room murmuring again, but this time more excited. Yumi paused and thought about whether or not she should just let it out. Turning to Monica she saw her shaking her head.

"Sven is based off a combination of people I went to school with. So to say he isn't, I'd technically be lying. All of my characters are real people...yes." Yumi said, pointing at the next raised hand.

"Who is Daisy based off of? You're a gorgeous woman who as you have said, was fairly popular in high school. That's not exactly Daisy."

"I know it's hard to imagine, but I was insecure in high school. My home life was hectic, I was popular, but I was uncomfortable with the attention. That's why I only have a few real friends. The man from Berlin is one of them."

"Did you and him ever go out?" Another fan asked.

"Could we please keep the questions relevant to the book…" Monica said from behind Yumi who wondered when she got so close. Monica placed her hand over the microphone and put her lips to Yumi's ear and said, "This is rabbit hole with no end. Keep going and you'll have them asking where and in what position."

Yumi deflected by giving a half answer and signed the books before leaving to the hotel. When the day was over and she had a moment to breathe, Yumi sat at the bar in her hotel and ordered a drink she sipped while scrolling through her phone. Arriving at her contacts she slowly scrolled through and saw the names pass by.

'Aelita Belpois'

'Jeremie Belpois'

Pausing she opened her pictures and saw one they took when they had their second baby. Yumi was holding Aleta while Aelita was nursing Alan. Yumi smiled, scrolling through her pictures, seeing one with Ulrich who fell asleep with the newborn on his chest. Another where Ulrich was playing with Aleta when she was four.

Flipping to Ulrich she saw pictures of them when they visited in college on Christmas.

Aelita had just had their first and Odd flew in from Italy. Ulrich had just started dating a new girl, and Yumi knew she still wasn't ready because it still bothered her. William arrived late, but he showed up and they all took a group photo with Aelita holding Aleta.

Going back to Aelita's number, Yumi hovered for a minute before hitting call. Placing it to her ear she listened to it ring three times before an answer.

"Hello?" A girl asked, Yumi giggling, assuming Aleta had answered.

"Hey, is your mom around?"

"Who is this?"

"It's your aunt Yumi."

"Yumi!" Aleta screamed, making Yumi laugh, "Are you coming too? Uncle Ulrich is coming."

"Umm...sorry sweetie, I can't," Yumi said, frowning and looking at her drink, "I'll try to visit again soon. Can I talk to your mom?"

"Okay...mom," Aleta said, a moment later a new voice appeared.

"What did I say about answering my phone...hello?"

"Am I really bad at answering my email, or are you really seven months pregnant right now?"

"Good to hear from you. I'm popping pretty soon," Aelita said with a smile on her face, "What's up."

"Just sitting in a bar alone looking through old photo albums," Yumi said and Aelita laughed, "What?"

"I don't remember bars," Aelita said and Yumi took a sip loudly to annoy her, "Please don't do that."

"We used to visit each other every few months or so. Now I find out you're pregnant by proxy. What the hell happened?"

"You're traveling all the time now, and we're all busy."

"We were busy then too."

"It's a different kind of busy. I only had Aleta and Alan at that point. Jared and Ginny were still a few years out. Ulrich wasn't in med school, Odd hadn't commissioned yet, and William hadn't been promoted or married. We were busy because we were hungover...you guys were at least."

"I really want to be there for you guys. I miss Aleta and the other rascals."

"I miss aunt Yumi teaching her how to curse."

"I let shit slip once and you still hold that against me years later. You're just surprised it wasn't Odd who did it."

"Odd taught her hell, damn, and bitch, he's not being forgiven anytime soon either."

They both laughed and Aelita finished getting her breath and looked at a picture on her wall.

"Can you tell me it isn't Ulrich at least?"

"What?"

"The reason you can't come. You and him haven't visited at the same time sine Alan was born."

"That has nothing to do with it," Yumi said and Aelita paused for nearly ten seconds.

"I have to go, but do me a favor and at least call more."

"I'll try, bye."


	3. Second Worst Hangover

Yumi finished the tour in Germany and moved onto France, and then a week later the UK.

'Who was the guy in Berlin?' did not seem to be going anywhere, any time soon. Yumi did her best to grin and bear it, casually sidestepping the question every time it was asked.

The UK tour started in London, worked it's way north, then moved back south, and ended in London once again. From London they were going to America for the bidding war.

Sitting in a pub Yumi drank alone again, ordering the local beer and slowly loosing count. Scrolling through her pictures again she kept seeing Ulrich playing with Aelita's and Jeremie's kids. For some reason focusing on him being the uncle made her sad, as if it were hollowing her out, and so she filled the void with more beer.

Hearing a purse being put down next to her Yumi turned and saw Monica sit down.

"You are drinking more since Germany than I've ever seen you," Monica said with a slight concern in her voice.

"See this?" Yumi asked, half drunk and shoving the phone into Monica's face.

"He's married?"

"That's our friend's kids. He's the uncle. Uncle Ulrich," Yumi said and lowered her phone, "Two of our friends got married pretty young and just started cranking out babies. She's younger than me and she's about to have number five."

"Start making sense, now you're just pointing out facts."

"That could have been me," Yumi said and finished her beer, the bartender replacing it a moment later.

"Do you want it to be you?" Monica asked.

"Maybe not five," Yumi said making them both giggled, "Ulrich and I...are fucked up. I broke up with a guy because I felt I was too insecure, but he was the kind of guy who could have handled it. Almost no one believes me when I say I came my first time."

"Nobody in the history of ever, needs to know that," Monica said and grabbed her beer, "You're done."

Yumi grabbed it back and said, "He knew everything about me. He knew my neck was sensitive, where on my shoulders to rub. Some of the stuff he knew because he read my diary, but I beat his ass for that, so that's fine."

"...what?"

"And with everyone on the goddamn planet asking about him…"

"Kind of like the entire world is picking at the same scab."

"Then I see Aelita and Jeremie and their kids and...my best friend thinks I don't want to visit because Ulrich is there. I don't want to visit because she has what I want. I want kids and a husband and all that crap. I just thought I'd be a little further along at this point."

Monica took off her coat and draped it over the chair and ordered a drink. She figured this might take awhile so she should at least get a drink.

* * *

Yumi drank til last call and only remembered flashes of the night. She'd blink and hear the bell for last call. She'd blink and she's walking down the street aided by Monica who tried to keep her from wobbling into traffic. She'd blink and she's puking at the hotel room.

Blink shower. Blink and Monica is putting her in pajamas. Blink she's trying to social media drunk and Monica hid her phone and she's yelling at her for doing it. Blink and the second worst hangover of her life.

Yumi groaned as she raised her head off of the pillow, slowly gathering her senses. Looking around she saw Monica sleeping in the bed on top of the sheets. Yumi tossed the blanket off and saw she was completely naked, her clothes pushed to the bottom of the bed. That didn't concern her, she knew how 'Drunk Yumi' gets.

Grabbing her panties with her toes she pulled them back on and stumbled to the bathroom. Monica heard the door shut and sat up.

"How you feeling?" Monica asked.

"Top five hangover," Yumi said and flushed. Stumbling out again, Monica turned away and Yumi laughed.

"Really? They're tits, and yours are bigger than mine," Yumi said and found a shirt to at least appease her.

"Thanks," Monica said as Yumi sat in her bed and looked around.

"Where's my phone?" Yumi asked.

"Microwave," Monica said and Yumi looked at the microwave and shrugged. It was too far away.

"Top five, I'd hate to imagine what number one was," Monica said and Yumi shuttered at the memory.

"Ulrich brought his new girlfriend to Aelita's, and I reacted less than...sane."

"Is he single right now?"

"As far as I know, then again I'm five years removed."

"Why not right now. Go get your husband and kids," Monica said, shoving her.

"I'm not ready…"

"Shut the fuck up with that nonsense. Did it ever occur to you, maybe you'll never be okay with him and another girl, because you're not supposed to be. You're supposed to be upset if he's with someone else. If you wait until seeing him with another girl doesn't bother you, you're not waiting for you to be ready. You're waiting to be over him, which defeats the purpose.

"Think about it, really think about. You've told yourself for the better part of a decade, 'I'll be ready for him, when I don't like him anymore'. Are you just addicted to your own self pity?"

"Fuck you."

"Right now I am not talking to you as your agent. I'm talking to you as your friend. I'll take care of the bidding war, go see your friends."

Yumi attempted to protest but knew Monica had a point. Maybe it was time to accept she wasn't getting over it.

* * *

Ulrich arrived early in the afternoon and hugged Aelita and Jeremie after he stepped out of his rental car. Aleta and Jared ran off the porch and out the gate, colliding with his legs. Alan sat on the porch while Jeremie was holding his sister Ginny. Jared tried to pretend he could help with his bag and Ulrich helped him assume he could. When he arrived at the stairs he carried it up and tousled Alan's hair making him to shrug away, but he still laughed.

Ulrich took the spare bedroom, placing his bags on the ground and moving downstairs where Aelita was starting dinner. Jeremie kissed her neck and helped the kids set the table, having to tell Alan to help twice.

"So tell me, how does it feel to be Dr. Stern?" Aelita asked and Ulrich smiled.

"Pretty good," Ulrich said and looked around, "Where is everyone else?"

"As we all know Odd is in Mali right now, and William will be here on Saturday, but Allison couldn't make it. Yumi's looking like a no show," Aelita said with a sigh, "Can you two just be adults and come at the same time for once?"

"Like that's my fault?"

"Please do ignore pregnancy brain. I'm sorry, you know how pregnancy brain gets."

"It's fine, you do remember when I brought Selena the first time…"

"And Yumi drank herself into the hospital, I remember," Aelita said and hesitated before asking, "How are you and Selena doing with the whole thing?"

"Fine, let's not talk about that," Ulrich said, Aelita deciding to let it go.

A few hours later the group loudly ate dinner, the kids bombarding Ulrich with questions that he happily answered. One not as much.

"Where's aunt Selena?"

"Sweetie don't.."

"It's fine, she couldn't make it," Ulrich said, a moment later his phone ringing. Checking the caller ID he groaned and excused himself from the table. Stepping onto their porch Ulrich hit answer and placed the phone to his ear.

"How's it going?" Ulrich asked.

"Just calling to check in, see how you're doing," Selena said and Ulrich paused for a few seconds.

"I'm fine," Ulrich said, though Selena wasn't convinced.

"Either way, I mailed you the papers. Just sign and we're done," Selena said and Ulrich nodded.

"Alright."

They were both silent for a several seconds, listening to each other breath and nearly start a sentence several times.

"That's it? No fight?"

"I'm signing the papers so the fight is over," Ulrich said.

"Seven years and you're not even going to try to work it out? I just want to talk and explain…"

"Explain to me why I should," Ulrich interrupted as a car pulled onto the street just behind his, "I gotta go, I'll sign them and mail them back when I get home."

Ulrich closed his phone and looked onto the street in curiosity. After a moment he saw the door open and Yumi step out of the car. Letting out a small laugh he walked down the porch and out the gate as she pulled her bag out of the car.

"Holy shit."


	4. Full Uncle Mode

Aelita kicked Ulrich out of the spare bedroom and sent him to the couch. Ulrich didn't protest as he moved his bag to sleep in their living room. William would get the air mattress when he arrived.

Ulrich woke up to the sound of footsteps stomping downstairs, then the feeling of a child jumping on top of him.

"Get up, get up, get up!" Aleta shouted playfully. Ulrich pulled the blanket over his head and when she moved to pull it away he wrapped her in the blanket and tossed her over his shoulder like she was in a sack.

"Morning Ulrich," Aelita said from the stairs, "I see you're in full uncle mode."

"I would be, but I can't find Aleta," Ulrich said, feeling her punching through the blanket.

"I'm in here!" her muffled voice said before he placed her on the couch. She shot out and jumped on his back, Ulrich piggy backing her into the kitchen.

"I forgot how rowdy they get," Yumi said in sweatpants and a tank top with no bra.

"Yumi at least wear sleeves. I'd rather the boys, and my husband not see side boob," Aelita said and Yumi seemed to realized what she was wearing.

"Sorry," Yumi said and walked back upstairs.

"What's side boob?" Aleta asked from Ulrich's back. Aelita groaned and walked passed her, "What?"

"We don't say that, we say, 'breast viewed from a sideways glance'." Ulrich said, and didn't know Aelita was close enough to hear.

"You've always been the uncle who didn't teach them things, don't ruin that."

Yumi changed and arrived at breakfast with everyone else. She forgot how loud their house was. She forgot a lot of things about them.

"What's on the schedule?" Yumi asked.

"I have grocery shopping today. Jeremie has to go in for a few hours, but that shouldn't be too crazy. I have to finish the current remix. The girls want to go to the forest and hunt for fairies. The boys want to go see a movie. We have camping in the back yard tomorrow when William gets here."

"Can I go with for the groceries?" Yumi asked, Aelita looking at her, "I kind of came last minute, need a few things. Like a tooth brush."

"I'll grab it for you, go play with the kids."

"Aunt Yumi, do Daisy and Sven get together?" Aleta asked from the seat across from her.

"They read it too?"

"When your best friends with someone famous, the kids ask why," Aelita said and walked out of dining room and into the living room. A moment later she stepped back in and handed Yumi a copy of her first book.

 _"Daisy's Diary: The First Semester."_ Yumi opened the cover and looked around for a pen that Aelita handed her a moment later.

"This should make your friends jealous," Yumi said and handed Aleta the book. She turned it open and smiled at her.

* * *

Aelita went grocery shopping while Urich and Yumi took the kids through the woods which was really just a trail hike a thirty minute drive from their house. Ulrich took Ginny and Alan while Yumi drove with Aleta and Jared. Apparently Aleta had become a very big fan and was asking questions more than the ones who had already reached puberty.

"I know dad and mom are Lexi and Jerome, but who's Sven? Is uncle Ulrich Sven. He seems like he'd be Sven. Big tall guy, but he's not quiet. Uncle Ulrich is fun, Sven seems too into himself to be uncle Ulrich. Who's uncle Ulrich? Is aunt Selena in the story."

"What?" Yumi asked, "Aunt Selena?"

"Is she Elizabeth. That would make sense...unless uncle Ulrich isn't Sven...is uncle Ulrich Sven?"

"Do you want to know the ending of the story?" Yumi asked and Aleta nodded with glee next to her, "So do I."

* * *

Ulrich and Yumi walked together, each holding one of Ginny's hands as they swung her as the boys climbed on anything they could reach and Aleta found flowers.

"I really didn't think you were gonna come," Ulrich said and Yumi looked at him.

"Neither did I. I decided I needed to suck it up. We have history that doesn't just go away. And now I'm swinging a baby between us, totally not getting the wrong idea."

"This is fun," Ginny said as she swung, "I like it when aunt Selena does it too."

Yumi stopped walking and Ulrich took a few extra steps before he noticed.

"Are you still with Selena?" Yumi asked and Ulrich shook his head. Yumi then realized he was trying to avoid the kids knowing until he could explain it better, "Recent I take it?"

"Six months ago," Ulrich said and Yumi looked away. She assumed they broke up years ago.

"I know," Alan said, the two looking at him, "I'm not stupid. I know what that means. Aleta loves her too, it'll be hardest on her."

"You kids are crazy smart," Yumi said and crouched to his level, "We'll tell her later, okay."

"Okay," Alan said and ran back to climb stuff.

* * *

When they got back from the woods, Yumi took her toothbrush to the bathroom. Rinsing her mouth she saw Ulrich walk through the doorway and paused.

"I'll use the down stairs," Ulrich said and turned.

"I'm done, go ahead," Yumi said, placing her toothbrush on the counter and squeezing passed him, "Can we just admit, this is awkward."

"I wasn't hiding it," Ulrich said.

"Thank god," Yumi said with a sigh of relief, "I thought I was the only one who felt…"

"Uncomfortable?"

"No...awkward, let's just stay with awkward. I knew it was going to be like this."

"Why did you come then?" Ulrich asked. Yumi smiled.

"Remember all those years ago when I said maybe when I catch up, and you're available, then maybe we can have something?" Yumi asked and Ulrich nodded, "I'm still not there."

"So you came anyway?"

"I'm never going to be. Maybe the reason I can't tolerate you with another woman, is because I'm not supposed to tolerate it. Do you think Aelita tolerates Jeremie with another woman?" Yumi asked and Ulrich laughed. That was actually a fairly good point, but unfortunately a straw man.

"The reason you broke it off, was because it was irrational. There is miles of difference between garden variety jealousy, and alcohol poisoning," Ulrich said and Yumi looked away, embarrassed and stepped past him finally.

"Not living that one down anytime soon, am I?" Yumi asked and Ulrich shook his head, "Well this was a fun chat."

Yumi walked down the hall and into her room where she shut the door. Ulrich let out a single breath before he closed the bathroom door behind him.


	5. Give This A Real Shot

William arrived the next day, being dropped off by a cab and carrying his stuff inside to the living room where an air mattress was waiting behind Ulrich's couch. The fact Yumi was there shocked him, this being the first time he'd seen her near Ulrich in years. Putting everything down William joined Jeremie and Ulrich in senting up tents in the backyard while the girls built a small fortress in the dining room with sheets and blankets.

Ulrich and William told ghost stories to Jared and Alan while Yumi entertained the girls, and tried to do so without talking about her books. No such luck. Aelita sat with her feet crossed, her hands under her belly as she tried not to laugh as she could tell Yumi didn't want to talk about the book, but how good of a sport she was at the same time.

"I can sue a book store for releasing it early, and you expect me to give you the inside scoop?" Yumi asked and Aleta nodded, absolutely unimpressed that Yumi could sue her.

"Lexi and Jerome get together," Yumi said and Aleta looked at her mom and rolled her eyes.

"Well duh," Aleta said and they all laughed, "Everyone knows that. Does Daisy get Sven? Everyone thinks they get together. I don't."

Yumi looked at her curiously. Aleta was part of that minority of fans, and she was curious as to why.

"They don't have chemistry," Aleta said and Aelita laughed, "What?"

"Do you even know what that means?"

"Yeah mom. They don't mix. It's like a cartoon where a scientist is mixing things, and it explodes. That's Daisy and Sven."

Yumi held back a giggle, until she realized she wasn't far off. It wasn't that long ago she woke up in the hospital after blacking out drinking. All from seeing Ulrich with another girl. Their history was just as volatile as Aleta suggested.

"What if I told you, Sven does know about her?" Yumi asked and Aleta tilted her head, Yumi having her attention.

"Well she was his tutor in the second book. He does know her."

"I know, but I mean likes her too," Yumi said and Aleta thought about it, "He did invite her to his party. He drove her home in the rain. When Sven's dad tore into him, she was the one he talked to about it. It's possible."

"Does he know, she likes him?" Aleta asked and Yumi shrugged.

"Maybe. What if he did?"

"Then he's a jerk," Aleta said and Yumi was surprised, and Aleta saw it in her face, "Sven is confident, so there is only one reason why he wouldn't. He's scared of what other people would think of him dating Daisy. If he's concerned about that, he doesn't really love her."

"Are you sure she's seven?" Yumi asked Aelita.

* * *

After the third ghost story the boys all laughed as Jared looked at Ulrich.

"Why didn't aunt Selena come this time?" Jared asked and Ulrich sighed. He looked over at Jeremie who shrugged, as if saying 'your call'.

"We're not together anymore," Ulrich said and looked at his tan line on his finger.

"I thought you loved her?"

"I did, but sometimes it doesn't work out the way you want. We arrived at a fork, and wanted to walk in different directions," Ulrich answered and the tent was quiet. To break the silence William started another story, and was interrupted.

"What was the fork?" Alan asked.

"I want kids," Ulrich said with a shrug, "She doesn't."

"Why doesn't she want kids?" Jared asked.

"She's never really given me a straight answer. For three years she was a year away from being ready. We broke up more because she," Ulrich said, then tried to say as tactically as possible, "decided to dance with someone else."

"What about aunt Yumi?" Alan asked and Ulrich and William chuckled, "Maybe you should dance with her now." William laughed out loud, making Jeremie crack and laugh as well.

"We tried dancing once, and we just stepped on each other's feet."

"Then get better at dancing," Alan said and William laughed again.

"Please get a different euphemism."

* * *

The next morning they all ate breakfast together, and afterwards cleaned up the fort and tent in the backyard. William called his wife to say hello while Ulrich helped Aelita with the dishes. Yumi sat on the couch with the kids watching cartoons, Aelita peeking over her shoulder at the living room made her think of Selena.

"Why didn't Selena want to have kids?" Aelita asked and Ulrich looked at her with a sideways glance, "Jeremie," she explained.

"I don't know. We had the talk every year or so, even when we were just dating. There was always something she hadn't done yet. We've travelled, we've graduated, and I'm satisfied. I also, didn't like the way she talked about it. Like having a kid was the equivalent of the holocaust. Then she…" Ulrich started, looking to make sure the kids hadn't snuck up on him, "bangs her doctoral mentor just to be a bigger cliche. Even after that she insists we can work it out."

"Who filed?"

"I did," Ulrich said and placed a dish on the drying rack, "Do you think I needed to hear her out?"

"No," Aelita said bluntly, "That's one thing Jeremie and I have agreed on. Infidelity is one and done. I wouldn't just be betraying the trust of my husband. I'd be betraying five, soon to be six people."

"She said I was too stifled by old world virtues."

"Nothing stays around because it doesn't work," Aelita said and Ulrich smiled.

"How do you and Jeremie do it?"

"We generally want the same thing. Granted Aleta was an accident, but it didn't stop me from doing anything. I still graduated, I still record, and I still put a meal on that table every night. The biggest thing is…" Aelita said and looked to see if the coast was clear, "We still go at it like teenagers."

"Ever feel like you missed out by having sex with only one person?"

"Why would I? I'm perfectly secure. Sure I look at the occasional cute butt that crosses my path," Aelita said then playfully leaned over and looked at his, making him laugh, "but I've never felt a need to have more partners. Ever regret your first wasn't your only?"

"My first ws Yumi…"

"Same question."

Ulrich looked toward Yumi and sighed. Seeing her surrounded by kids didn't help.

"I've never shook the feeling she quit before we even started," Ulrich said and Aelita dried her hands after the last dish, "That's why I feel we're unresolved, and I'm pretty sure she's the same."

"Finish it then," Aelita said and touched his shoulder, "For better or worse."

"I'm still married."

"The papers are in your mail, close enough," Aelita said, letting his shoulder go and walking into the living room.

* * *

Aelita and Jeremie went out while the others watched the kids that night. They found a movie and all huddled on the couch, the kids sitting with their favorite aunt or uncle. Yumi sat with Ginny on her lap for most of the movie while Ulrich sat with Aleta and Jared. Allan sat with William, which might have been the best place to considering he had the best candy to share.

The kids were put the sleep an hour after the movie, leaving William to step out to the back porch and call his wife while Ulrich and Yumi sat on the front porch.

Ulrich sat on the railing with his feet dangling while Yumi leaned against the opposite one.

"When did you get married?" Yumi asked, Ulrich sighing, then chuckling.

"Would have just had my first anniversary two weeks ago. We didn't really have a wedding so don't feel too offended," Ulrich answered, Yumi blinking, trying to think of something to say.

"With the way I act, I wouldn't have invited me either," Yumi finally said.

"Not like it mattered, I'm divorced. Almost," Ulrich said with a shrug.

"What happened?"

"We were together for six years before, and the moment we get married she just...it wasn't the same."

"Why would it be?" Yumi asked and Ulrich tried to reply but wasn't sure how.

"We were living together for two years and one sheet of paper later.."

"I hate it when people say that," Yumi said, catching Ulrich off guard, "'Marriage is just a sheet of paper'. If that's all it meant to you, why get married?"

"I wanted to get married, because I thought that would make her want to have kids."

"She didn't want to be tied down by a 'sheet of paper'" Yumi said, using finger quotes, "Yet you assumed she wanted to get tied by something you couldn't undo. All you did was box her in and make her feel trapped."

Ulrich looked at Yumi and didn't say anything as they looked at each other uncomfortably. He wanted to be able to dismiss everything she just said purely because she's never been married or in anything resembling a long term relationship. That seemed like the easy way out, and Ulrich didn't want to do that.

"Your first mistake is getting married to spark a change of heart, then complaining it wasn't the same," Yumi said, making Ulrich look down and laughed at himself. It was funny to himself to get caught in this contradiction.

"When you put it like that" Ulrich said with a real grin, and then laughed again, "I just don't know what's next."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm getting divorced, what's next for me?"

"Get back together with me," Yumi suggested, and he laughed, then realized she wasn't kidding, "I'm serious."

"What's different?"

"I'm ready," Yumi said and smiled at him, "I'm not worried about ruining it romance or worried about feeling trapped. Those two weeks I dated you, I never felt more free. Do you know why I found something to get mad over?"

"Because I read your diary without your knowledge and used it to leverage you into a relationship?"

"No...well, yes...but I was looking for anything to get mad over. That's psycho girl shit, I'm not her anymore."

"Not that long ago you gave yourself alcohol poisoning after you saw me with Selena."

"That was seven years ago. for the love of...didn't you once tell me you didn't hold my flaws against me? I overreacted and I went on a bender and woke up in a hospital. You stayed with a woman for years knowing full well her plans didn't include yours. Who sounds like the bigger idiot here?"

"Fuck you," Ulrich said reached toward the door, the Yumi pushed shut as he opened it.

"No fuck you, why the hell are you so against this? Do you know why I came this time? For you."

"I'm the reason you don't come."

"That's not why I don't come. I'm alone Ulrich, and everytime I come here I'm reminded of what I want but don't have. I came to get my own."

Ulrich stood there trying to say something, but nothing came.

"I want to give this a real shot," Yumi said and Ulrich looked into her eyes and saw that she was absolutely certain of that.

"What do you want?" Ulrich asked and Yumi didn't know what he meant, "If we do this, what do want from this relationship?"

"I want to have a baby," Yumi said and he chuckled, "Suddenly you don't?"

"We need to pace it obviously."

"Why? I know what I want, I don't need to pussyfoot around it. I want to have a baby and get married. Not necessarily in that order. Or do you think we need to stop and get to know each other first?" She said sarcastically.

"When would we start trying?"

"Right now."

"What?" Ulrich asked in shock.

"I'm almost thirty, we need to get cracking," Yumi said with a smile and Ulrich laughed.

"You're serious?"

"Follow me and find out," Yumi said and walked into the house and up the stairs. Ulrich came into the house a moment later, too shocked to react immediately. Ulrich heard her bedroom door a second later and he paused.

"You guys okay?" William asked as he walked in from the back.

"Yeah," Ulrich said and tossed his coat on the couch, "Couch is yours if you want it."

"Where are you sleeping?" William asked and Urich answered by walking up stairs and entering Yumi's room, "Never mind."


	6. Monopoly On Self Righteous Outrage

Yumi left her room the next morning and arrived at the table where Aelita was already up and recording some music on her laptop. Aelita smiled at her, pulled her headphones to her shoulders and noticed something seemed different about her. Looking over at the couch and seeing William on it asleep, then at the air mattress and not seeing Ulrich, she looked back at Yumi, and saw it on her face.

Aelita leaned over toward Yumi, and made an exaggerated sniffing sound.

"What?"

"You stink of sex," Aelita said with a smiled and leaned into the chair, "And with a married man, how scandalous."

"But I'm in love mom, he said he's leaving her for me," Yumi said sarcastically and they both laughed, "Anything to say on it?"

"You guys gonna take it slow?"

"We just had unprotected sex three times last night and once this morning, I might already be pregnant. I'm going to go with no on the taking it slow thing."

"Are you trying to get pregnant?" Aelita asked, receiving a nod in reply.

"I'm almost thirty, I'm tired of waiting. I'm done with being scared and worried about the what ifs. I'm not denying it's fast, and we probably will wish we hit the brakes a little in retrospect, but I just want a baby. It that weird?"

"I'm going on number five Yumi, I'm the last person who thinks it's weird."

"This time there isn't any bullshit. It didn't take him reading my diary…" Yumi said and noticed Aelita reacted, "...what was that?"

"What?"

Yumi thought back to the diary incident, and tried to remember how it all happened again. "I've never taken my diary out of my room in my entire life. Never. Ulrich was never in my bedroom, even once. Explain to me why Ulrich said he found my diary, in your room."

"Are we really going to have this conversation ten years later?" Aelita asked.

"You're damn right we are."

"Your brother took it," Aelita said and Yumi was about to protest, "Panicked, and threw it out of the window. I found it in the gutter, didn't even occur to me it was yours until I found your next one."

"How do you not know it's mine?"

"There is this thing called a pronoun, as a professional writer I suggest you use it. You didn't say his name, or yours, anyone's for nearly a hundred pages. That's kind of impressive when you think about it."

"First off, that's what an editor is for,"Yumi said and Aelita smiled, "And you're thinking of proper noun."

"Really?"

"I used plenty of pronouns. I must have wrote "and he fucks me on the mats" at least a thousands times over the years," Yumi said and Aelita laughed.

"You're not mad."

"Like it or not, you pushed me toward the best thing for me, can't be mad about that," Yumi said and smiled, "But when that kid drops, I'm slapping you in the face."

* * *

Ulrich came down stairs not too long later and heard Yumi on the phone with her agent. Apparently the bidding war for publishing rights had just ended.

"When you consider the series already has a track record of selling, not exactly difficult to market," Monica said from her New York hotel room.

"How'd we do?"

"Three hundred thousand advance, five hundred thousand first print," Monica responded and moved her ear away from the phone to spare her ear Yumi's screaming.

"Three hun...what….holy shit!" Yumi shouted and turned to see Ulrich, "I've already put the kid through college."

"What?" Monica asked.

"Husband and kids thing is a go by the way," Yumi said and turned toward the door to see Aelita.

"You were here when you found out you were getting published the first time. You're reaction is why my daughter knows the word shit. Outside, now," Aelita said with her mom voice and Yumi went onto the back porch.

"For better or worse," Aelita said and Ulrich smiled.

"For better or worse," Ulrich said and received a call a moment later. Seeing it was Selena he pressed answer and place it to his ear, "Yeah?"

"We need to talk," Selena said to start the conversation.

"I'll be home soon, I'll sign them when I get there."

"Talk about not signing them," Selena said and Ulrich saw the kids coming down the stairs with Jeremie so stepped onto the porch as this conversation might get heated in a few seconds.

"Am I supposed to forget the fact you fucked another man? Did that not happen, or should I ignore my lying eyes?" Ulrich asked, making her sigh into the phone, "I haven't seen you in four months, I've moved out, we've kept this otherwise civil considering."

"I know, I messed up. Unconditional love is hard…"

"It's stupid," Ulrich interrupted, "A wife with two black eyes loves her husband unconditionally. I have conditions, one of which is don't fuck your doctoral mentor."

"I didn't mail them," Selena said and Ulrich groaned.

"Why the hell not? We've had this conversation..."

"No we fucking haven't!" Selena shouted, making Ulrich move his head from the speaker, "Shouting at me and not letting me have my word in is not a fucking conversation you dick!"

"You want to talk, fine. We'll fucking talk. You want to drag this into a goddamn jr high cafeteria break up, whatever. When?"

"I'm right around the corner," Selena said and Ulrich looked around and saw her car pulling around a moment later, "I see you."

"Yeah I see you too," Ulrich said and hung up. Walking down the steps he opened the little gate as she stepped out of her car and walked around. Ulrich paused when he saw her.

Selena was a short woman with long shiny blonde hair she usually wore in pony tail, but today was free on draped on her shoulders. She usually wore skirts and blouses, but today was a sweater and jeans. Her blue eyes found his, and his eyes found her pregnant belly.

"Like I said, we need to talk."

* * *

Yumi walked back in and saw Ulrich as he stepped back in from the front.

"Doubleday picked it up, all I have to do is have outlines to them by the week, good thing I'm sitting on the next four," Yumi said as she skipped over and planted a kiss on him as Selena walked in. They both had a reaction resembling a flinch.

"You do realize he's married?" Selena said in the most condescending tone she could muster.

"What the fuck is she doing here?" Yumi asked Ulrich.

"I'm the problem in this scenario? Really? You give me grief when you're with this floozy?"

Yumi looked at Ulrich to defend her, and he did nothing. Neither option seemed the better one.

"Let's all relax," Aelita said and saw her pregnant, but said nothing, "We'll talk in the kitchen, Yumi," Aelita said and looked at her, her eyes saying she needed to leave. Yumi nodded and William left with a moment later. Jeremie took the kids upstairs.

"I know what your first question is. It's yours. I've done the math, I'm perfectly willing to do a paternity test if you want. That's how confident I am it's yours," Selena said, sitting down across from Ulrich while Aelita sat at the end, acting as mediator.

"That's my second question, my first is, why am I only hearing about this now? I may specialize in sports medicine, but you look six months give or take a few weeks," Ulrich said and she sighed.

"I wasn't sure if I was going to have it," Selena said and Ulrich clenched a fist and Aelita noticed how incredibly angry that made him, "Before you get mad…"

"Too late for that…."

"I didn't do it."

"The fact it even crossed your mind."

"It crosses every woman's mind. Can you honestly tell me you didn't put the option on the table with Aleta?" Selena asked Aelita who looked away.

"I was twenty when I got pregnant. I was scared...terrified," Aelita said and looked at Ulrich, "We considered it," she said to agree with Selena, "But when I got pregnant, the first person I told was Jeremie. _We_ had that conversation, _we_ made that choice, not just me. What we need to do, before we do anything else, is clear the air. Selena, you need to say something to Ulrich."

Selena inhaled deeply and nodded, "Ulrich, I truly am sorry I didn't tell you until now. I'm even more sorry I considered it. Aelita's right, the moment we got married, that stopped being just my choice."

"Good Selena, Ulrich?" Aelita asked and Ulrich huffed.

"What the fuck do I have to be sorry for?"

"Oh geez," Aelita said and leaned away from the bombardment about to erupt.

"I already forgot how nothing is ever your fault," Selena snapped back.

"You fucked another man."

"Two seconds ago you were fucking that asian bimbo, do you have a monopoly on self righteous outrage or am I allowed to pissed about that shit too?"

"We were separated for six months, I was days away from signing the divorce papers I served you in the first place, that's a technicality. Technically married…"

"Is still married," Selena said and Ulrich looked away, "You don't think I feel like shit? I've been calling you nearly daily to reconsider this divorce the moment you handed me the papers. I've been fighting for this marriage while you gave up on it and me."

"If you really wanted to fight, why not tell me about the baby."

"I wanted you to stay for me," Selena said and started to cry, but Ulrich didn't know what she meant, "I didn't want to use the baby as leverage. If we weren't meant to be, then fine, I'll live with that. What I didn't want is a worse marriage held together by our child having to be in the center of us hating each other."

Ulrich looked at Selena and couldn't help but admit that she had a point. She chose the right path, instead of the easy one.

"Ulrich," Aelita said said and he nodded

"I'm sorry I never let you talk,' Ulrich said and Selena smiled, "I'm sorry I put school ahead of you. I'm sorry I ever put you in a position where you even questioned how I feel about you."

"I'm sorry I questioned it," Selena asked and they both smiled, "I'm sorry I called your friend a bimbo. Honest, please, what's going on with that?"

"We've literally been together less than twelve hours," Ulrich said and Selena made a suspicious face, "I know what you think, she didn't come back because of the divorce. She didn't even know we were married."

"Did you sleep together last night?"

"We did," Ulrich answered, surprised how awkward this conversation just got.

"What's the plan? Just a fling or something more permanent."

"It's too fast right now to say. But I want marriage and kids, she wants marriage and kids. It makes sense."

"Is that enough for you?" Selena asked, Ulrich looking down as he tried to just say yes. He couldn't do it, "If that's what you want, then that's what you want. I know no matter what happens with us, you're going to be an amazing father. I used to be annoyed at how much you wanted kids. Now I realized I should have been flattered you wanted them with me. You chose me to be the mother of your children.

"It seems like too little too late, but I want to have kids. I want a marriage. That isn't enough for me though. I want to have your kids, and to have a marriage with you. I just want my husband back."

Ulrich looked into her eyes and saw the tremendous amount of pain she was in. He saw how deep and heavy she regretting everything, and how truly sorry she was.

"I understand if you need a little time. I understand if you sign them. I love you Ulrich, more than I did six months ago," Selena said at the brink of tears in her already red and puffy eyes as she placed an envelope on the table, "I'm sorry it took me fucking up to realize how much I do."

Selena smiled at Aelita and left the room with tears in her eyes as she exited the house. Ulrich looked at the envelope for ten seconds before he slowly opened it, seeing they were the divorce papers. Twenty minutes ago he was ready to sign. Now he hovered over them in deep conflict.

"When you said I didn't have to hear her out," Ulrich said, looking at Aelita.

"I was wrong," Aelita said and looked down, "Jeremie and I were here once. This conversation is the reason we didn't get divorced."

"What, you guys?"

"Right after Alan. We were not in a good place. We're great now, wonderful. He was always working, and I was always tired from the kids. We were at each other's throats daily, we stopped having sex, but we kept at it for the kids. We stopped paying attention to the thing that really mattered most, each other. I know the natural instinct is to take care of your kids first, that instinct is wrong.

"When we started taking care of each other first, we saved our marriage. We didn't neglect our kids, if anything we did more for them by doing more for each other. It wasn't overnight, but we fought for our marriage. We had this conversation, we had a phone between us, ready to call a lawyer, but we decided to fight for it.

"I'll always remember this one day. Jeremie came home and he could tell I was not in a mood. Aleta was sick and had been puking all day, Alan was teething and screaming. Jeremie had a good day, and the first thing I wanted to do was to take that from him. Instead of getting pissed, he hugged me. He held me and whispered into my ear, 'I love you, and I appreciate everything you do for this family.' He kissed my cheek and he went upstairs to change.

"Jeremie didn't have to buy me flowers, or take me on vacation, or some other gesture. After he saw I was trying to tear him down to my level, he was still willing to bring me up to his. That was the moment I knew we had a chance, and I knew my husband truly love me."

"Has Yumi ever actually fought for me, or does she just blame other people for why we aren't together?" Ulrich asked, Aelita looking away in silence. Aelita sighed and stood up, looking at the divorce papers.

"I think you know the answer to that," she answered and left him alone to decide.


	7. My First Impression Of You

Yumi went to the nearest bar she could find and sat on the stool, William sitting on the one next to her. Yumi immediately ordered two shots of whiskey, slid one to William and downed the other.

"I just made a few hundred thousand, it's on me," Yumi said and ordered a beer to follow.

"What is it about Selena that makes you drink?" William asked and Yumi laughed and shook her head, "She really isn't that bad."

"She cheated on her husband and didn't tell him she was pregnant. Not exactly a great start," Yumi said and sipped her beer. After two sips she remembered something and groaned, "I might be pregnant."

"It doesn't happen that fast," William said.

"Still," Yumi said and flagged the bartender, "I'll have water."

The bartender moved to take the beer but William reached over and grabbed it, "I'll take it."

"Did you hear the way she said it. Condescending bitch," Yumi said and felt her fist clenched.

"They are still married," William said and Yumi shrugged.

"Barely, days away from a divorce. Literally a stroke of the pen."

"We all like Selena…"

"Why?"

"Because we know her," William said and Yumi rolled her eyes, "If you actually came to these get togethers, you'd know her better. I met my wife through Selena, I've double dated with them. Selena drove Aelita to the hospital when she had Ginny. Don't you dare tell any of us to question our friendship to her."

Yumi looked away and suddenly wanted her beer back.

"I didn't know all of that."

"Because you're not here anymore," William said and took a gulp, "Selena sent Odd a care package last month. Did you even know Odd was deployed to Africa?"

"No," Yumi said and felt herself sinking into the seat more.

"What's my wife's name?" William asked and Yumi turned to him, "You missed our wedding, which is fine, you aren't alone, Odd did to. I've sent cards, emails. My wife is really into the seasonal card and family newsletter, which I personally don't like but it makes her happy. She signs all of them with love William and...what is my wife's name."

Yumi reached back across him and grabbed the beer and drank all of it.

"You come back and start laying down rules like you've been here the entire time, like you're the real friend and Selena is encroaching on your territory."

Yumi looked at the bar then felt the need to cry but held it back and then said, "I became a stranger to my own friends."

"I'm sorry, I know what I'm saying is harsh."

"I think you're actually being very fair," Yumi said and smiled, "I can tell you could be a whole lot meaner to me."

"I think you got the message," William said and ordered another round.

"What was Ulrich like around Selena?" Yumi asked, William smiling at her.

"We're surprised it took them six years to get married," William said and Yumi looked down, "Selena brought something out in him we hadn't seen, well since you.

"I didn't really notice it, none of us did until it wasn't there anymore. Ulrich shut down after you and him broke up. He was still a great friend, but his relationships were empty, because if it didn't work with you, why would it with anyone else? Do you know how they met?"

"I didn't even know they were married, take a wild guess."

"She ran him over," William said and Yumi laughed, "With a bike, not a car. She rode her bike around campus and her bag slipped off her shoulder. When she looked away to adjust, Wham!" William said, slapping the bar, "She literally flipped off of her bike, landed square on her back and was expecting to get yelled at. The first thing she heard was, 'you okay?'

"She just rammed him at full speed and he's asking her if she's okay. Selena loved that about him immediately. They went to the campus nurse together and just talked.

"I saw him two weeks later and he was different. I didn't know what it was, until he said he met a girl and he was worried about asking her out. I hadn't seen him with butterflies since you. It was the first time he was willing to take that chance again.

"No one is saying you're the reason he's getting divorced, we know that isn't true. You might be the reason it sticks though. I'm not going to defend Selena's discretion, that is between her and Ulrich, but as someone who is married, I understand it."

"It sounds like you're defending it."

"You feel trapped. You feel unloved, unwanted, unappreciated. Then someone shows you those things, even at a shallow level and it's amazing how fast the thought crosses your mind. Aelita told me the easiest way to fix it. I came home and my wife was ready for a fight, don't even know what about. Before she could start I kissed her and just said I appreciated her, and I'm sorry I didn't say that more."

"Damn, that would loosen my panties a little," Yumi said and they both laughed, "Allison," Yumi said, making him smile, "Your wife's name is Allison."

"You remembered."

"I shouldn't have to remember, I should just know."

* * *

Yumi and William arrived back at the house three hours later. William stepped in while Yumi pulled out her phone on the porch to call Monica who filled her in and asked her to hurry up with the outlines. Scrolling through her phone she heard a chime and saw she had a new message.

'Can we talk?'

'Who is this?' Yumi replied to a number but not a name.

'Selena.'

Yumi looked at her phone, and fought her desire to be mean and replied with.

'Where?'

Yumi drove to the park where her and Ulrich took the kids a few days ago. Three hours had passed since she drank, so she was more than confident about driving. Arriving there thirty minutes later Yumi stepped out of her car and saw Selena sitting on a log on the side of the trail, her belly in her lap.

"It's really convenient you tell him when he's about to sign," Yumi said and Selena blinked, "Is it even his?"

"Yes, and before you have the right to criticise me, he is still married, and that is not a technicality. As of right now, you are not my husbands friend, you're his mistress, since we're bringing up inconvenient truths."

"Fair enough," Yumi said and tucked her hands into her pockets, "What do you want exactly?"

"I remember when I met you the first time. Ulrich walked through the door of Aelita and Jeremie's cramped apartment they used to live in and you lit up. Like a girl who was finally going to tell him. Then I walked in behind him."

Yumi looked away slowly turned back, "So what. Maybe I finally decided I wanted a real chance with him. Maybe I thought I was ready."

"My first impression of you, was not kind I admit. You wore your heart on your sleeve for my boyfriend, then preceded to get so drunk, you broke their Television, and dropped their newborn…"

"I what.."

"No one ever told you?" Selena asked and Yumi looked at her, and knew it was true, "You drunkenly stumbled into Aleta's room and picked her up. You stumbled out, and I barely caught the baby you dropped as you passed out. That's my first impression."

Yumi felt her right hand shaking and grabbed her wrist with her left.

"That's actually my only impression, the next time I see you, Ulrich's walking into their house, and you light up and kiss him, then look at his pregnant wife like she's the problem."

"Bad time to say I might be pregnant?" Yumi asked and Selena stood up and looked at her, "I'm dead serious, all night, all natural."

"Do you think you're still in high school or something? Ulrich isn't the team captain, he's my husband. Maybe he wouldn't be, if you had some balls and planted roots when he was yours. It's not my fault you let him go."

Before either of them knew it, Yumi punched her across the face. Selena feel back and over the log she was sitting on, landing on her back. Selena leaned up and grabbed her stomach as Yumi heard a siren. She turned and saw a police officer stepping out of his car.

"Oh fuck."


	8. Stop Being Sorry

Ulrich walked in front of the cell and saw Yumi siting on a bench alone. Looking up when she heard footsteps she smiled, the saw on his face he knew why she was there.

"Selena isn't pressing charges, and they're willing to shred the police report," Ulrich said as an officer opened the door and Yumi grabbed her jacket and left with him.

"We need to talk," Ulrich said as the walked out of the police station and down the steps toward his car.

"Where to start, lot of ground to cover," Yumi said and opened the car door as Ulrich opened his.

"Let's start with you punching my pregnant wife in the face," Ulrich said, leaning over the top of the car, "What the fuck Yumi?"

"She provoked me."

"You say it as if you're not easy to provoke. Even if she did, you still punched a pregnant woman in the face. Do who or why really matter?"

Yumi sighed and just shrugged, "What the hell do you want me to say?"

"I...I don't know honestly," Ulrich said and sat down in the seat, shutting his car door, a moment later Yumi doing the same.

Ulrich started the car and saw Yumi staring down at her lap. Looking at her told him she had something to ask him.

"What Yumi?" Ulrich asked.

"Selena said I dropped Aleta when she was a baby. I was so drunk I dropped by best friends baby," Yumi said and Ulrich sighed.

"It happened," Ulrich said to confirm and Yumi started to cry.

"What the fuck is wrong with me?"

"Would you believe me if I said nothing?" Ulrich asked and Yumi put her face in her palms.

* * *

Selena sat on Aelita's couch with Aleta's ear on her belly and Aelita sitting next to her.

"Why didn't you want kids?" Aelita asked and Selena shrugged.

"Never seemed like the right time."

"There is never a good time," Aelita said with a smile, "You just go with it."

"I'm going with it," Selena said and smiled back.

"I felt it!" Aleta suddenly shout when she felt the kick that made Selena grunt.

"So did I, nice to be reminded daddy used to play futball. I think he just corner kicked my freakin kidney," Selena said and Aelita laughed, making her laugh as well.

"Welcome to my world," Aelita said the moment before her baby kicked, "I've done this four times, bring it on."

"When you said you considered it," Selena asked and Aelita nodded, "How much did you consider it?"

"I immediately called Jeremie, and we talked about it, and we decided to have her. It was an option, but we didn't humor it for very long."

"I was sitting in the waiting room," Selena said and Aelita was shocked, "I told you I thought about it. Then I thought about what if I did save my marriage, and I bring that up later. I'd lose him, I know I would.

"Ulrich changed schools for me. He moved where I wanted to live. We bought the car I wanted. In our relationship, there was a lot of me, and the only thing he ever really wanted from me was kids. I was still thinking about myself, that's why I lost my husband. I pushed him away, and he in return retreated into something to occupy himself. Neither of us are blameless, so if I wanted to save my marriage, I needed to stop passing blame, and accept some."

"I encouraged Yumi," Aelita said and shrugged, "I'm sorry, I was still mad at you. You cheated on my best friend, and Yumi was back, and he was open again, kind of. I forgot who my best friend really was. Yumi is still my friend, always will be. But she didn't drive me to the hospital when I had a baby.

"She's not the one who watched my kids when Jeremie's dad died, and I didn't want them to see him like that. You were there at Christmas, and dressed up for Halloween and braved haunted houses and carved pumpkins. You are my best friend, and you're their godmother."

"I'm their godmother?"

"Yeah," Aelita said and laughed, "That's why I need you and Ulrich to figure it out."

Ulrich and Yumi came through the door and Yumi saw Selena on the couch.

"Before we say anything," Yumi said and walked over to Selena, "I'm sorry."

"I know, I asked them not to arrest you."

"I saw, but it's hard to claim context for punching a pregnant lady," Yumi said and saw Aleta.

Aleta jumped off the couch and ran over to Yumi, wrapping herself around Yumi's legs. Yumi touched her head and had to stop herself from crying.

"I love you," Yumi said and Aleta squeezed tighter.

"I love you too aunt Yumi," Aleta said smiled up at her.

"I should be going," Selena said and Ulrich helped her off the couch, "Thanks, we'll talk later."

Selena exited the house and left in her car a minute later. Aelita made up an excuse to get the kids out of the room so took them to the backyard. Yumi sat on the back of the couch as Ulrich leaned against the wall.

"One hell of a weekend," Yumi said, Ulrich nodding, "When are you getting the papers?"

"She brought them, I already put them back in her purse," Ulrich said and Yumi smiled.

"So it's over?"

"Yeah," Ulrich said and she closed the distance and tried to kiss him but he didn't let her, "What?"

"I didn't sign them," Ulrich said and Yumi took a step back as her stomach sank, "We're still married."

"That's what we were waiting for...she pulled a me," Yumi said and Ulrich raised his eyebrows, "She sees you with another woman, bats eyelashes, says how much she loves you and puts you through another wringer."

"She's not pulling a you, you are pulling a you," Ulrich said and Yumi took another step.

"I understand your natural impulse is to stay married for the baby. I get that, I respect it even. You are not a deadbeat dad, and you won't be if you get divorced. You don't need to stay for the baby."

"'I'm not, I'm staying for my wife," Ulrich said and Yumi calves hit the couch.

"She cheated on you."

"I know, and I cheated on her, I guess that makes us even."

"That was a technicality."

"No it wasn't. It was a coincidence. If you showed up again the day after I found out, I'd have done it then too. Selena knew she messed up. She literally called me every day since that day, just to talk, just to have her word in. To fight for our marriage."

"She's the reason it was fucked up in the first place."

"I put her on the back burner, I have a part to play in this too. It doesn't excuse her, but I can't deny I created the environment."

"What about us, I might be pregnant," Yumi said and Ulrich nodded.

"I know, and we'll have to cross that bridge when we get there. I thought I had another chance with you, and I rushed right into that. I can't keep doing that, I have to be the one to walk away this time."

"You're the love of my life Ulrich, nothing but you ever felt right."

"Then why do you only love me when I'm off limits?" Ulrich asked and Yumi sat down on the armrest "It's taken me thirteen years to figure out what kind of girl you are. You're the girl who just wants what you can't have, and the moment you have it, you're bored."

"That was seventeen year old Yumi. I've changed."

"Into the girl who punches pregnant women in the face?" Ulrich asked, "You haven't changed as much as you think you have. You're so stuck in high school drama you literally turned it into a profession."

Yumi opened her mouth to retort, but didn't. She had been writing _Daisy's Diary_ for so long for one reason. She could never make Daisy and Sven feel organic and real. The love seemed very superficial. Did a seven year old girl figure it out before she did? Daisy and Sven didn't mix no matter how hard she tried to force it. Maybe the reason her and Ulrich didn't work was because they didn't mix either.

Yumi looked at him and they both knew it. They didn't work.

"I um...I'm going to go," Yumi said, tears in her eyes as she walked passed him and up the stairs. Going to her room she packed her bag and was back down stairs less than five minutes later where Ulrich was still leaning against the wall.

"I'll tell you if...you know," Yumi said, Ulrich nodding as she walked passed him again and out of the door.

* * *

Selena pulled over to the side of the road and looked at her purse in the passenger seat. Seeing the envelope sticking out she let out a breath and pulled it out. Unraveling the string she pulled it opened and reached in but didn't touch paper. Pushing the sides to widen the opening she saw the papers had been torn up and placed back in. She smiled and started to cry as she found her phone in the purse and fumbled it.

Calming herself she called Ulrich and placed it to her ear.

"Hey."

"You didn't sign," Selena said and continued to cry, "Why?"

"Because I think we can get passed it, and I want to give this another try. I'm not ready to give up yet. Yumi just left, if you want to finish the week here with the kids."

"I'd love to, and I could use the practice," Selena said and ended the call.

Selena turned her car around and arrived back at the house fifteen minutes later. Ulrich stepped onto the porch as Selena walked through their gate and she grabbed onto him and started to cry into his chest. Ulrich stroked her hair as she leaned up and started to kiss him.

"I'm so sorry," Selena said when she stopped kissing him, "I missed you so much."

"I'm sorry, you're sorry, let's stop being sorry and just be happy."


	9. Self Destruct In Peace

Yumi found herself driving on the brink of tears at the mere thought of what had just happened. The last time Yumi walked away from a relationship with Ulrich it felt unresolved and opened ended, with a small hopeful 'what if' still hanging by a thread. Somehow Ulrich being the one who walked away made it feel permanent. They were done, and that book was closed forever.

Lost in thought, Yumi wondered what she would have to do to get his attention. A way to get him to run back to her side. She slowly found herself drifting into the other lane.

Around a curve an oncoming vehicle laid down their horn, and at the last moment Yumi came to her senses and swerved back, spun the car and slid off the road. Yumi slammed on the brakes and skidded into a few bushes, causing a few scratches on the her rental.

Yumi slowly let her hands lose tension on the steering wheel, her breathing deep before she began to cry as she hammered her fists down on the wheel. Letting out all of her anger she screamed and punched the rear mirror off, sending it bouncing around the front, it landing at the feet of the passengers seat.

Spending a few minutes off the road she gathered her composure, turned back into her lane and continued driving.

* * *

Yumi and her new publisher overseas began a massive advertisement campaign in America and Canada two weeks later. Dozens of book signings and readings, and Yumi spent most of it drunk after she found out she wasn't pregnant. Monica kept her just sober enough to pass off as normal, but it was rough first month after Aelita's.

After a book signing in Chicago Yumi went to a bar followed by Monica who sat with her after a particularly large crowd.

"I got the first script for the movie," Monica said and Yumi took two shots and looked at her.

"And?"

"And what, it's a movie based on your book. The movie they paid two million for the rights, and we have a percentage of box office. That's retirement money. Why are you still drinking for the wrong reasons. Sitting here and drinking isn't the solution to anything," Monica said, Yumi sipping her beer the bar tended placed in front of her.

"I think I know how the last book ends. Daisy gives herself completely to Sven, and he takes it, then tosses it aside. He builds up her hopes, and dreams, stays around just long enough for her to picture a white dress and kids before he changes his mind. One cunt bats eyelashes and he goes running back."

"I don't think you're talking about Daisy anymore."

"The last time I listened to you, I had my heart torn out, and I found out I'm actually a shittier person than I originally assumed. How about you shut the fuck up, and let me self destruct in peace."

Monica grabbed Yumi's beer and tossed it into her face. Yumi flinched from shock but did nothing in retaliation.

"You took your chance and it didn't go well, boo hoo, get over it. I'm your friend, that's why it's my duty to not sugar coat it. Shit happens. You're bitching that you still don't have a husband and kids, at least you can."

"What?"

"I had cervical cancer when I was seventeen. I pretty much don't have a uterus. I was with my ex husband for nine years before he decided, you know what, he did want kids. Now he's married with three, and even though I'm still in love with him, I'm not mad. If anyone here has the right to host the pity party, it's not you."

The bartender handed Yumi a towel which she used to wipe her face.

"I'd give anything to have a body that can have children, but I can't defy my biology."

"I actually tried this time. I was different, it was going to stick," Yumi said and started to cry again.

"You haven't changed Yumi. How you act when you succeed is not a barometer of how much you've changed. How you behave when you fail, is. If you had really changed, your response wouldn't be drinking yourself to death. You'd still be in pain, but you would wish him and her all the happiness in the world, even if that meant you weren't a part of it."

"What kind of bullshit is that?" Yumi said and and wiped her face, "I need to be happy for him."

"You were hoping he was as miserable as you were," Monica said and Yumi wanted to protest before she realized Ulrich wasn't happy about getting divorced. Them sleeping together felt more like revenge sex.

"I didn't see my ex for a few years until I went to hospital to see his child be born. It's as surreal as you could imagine. After the birth I went to see them in her room, and he was leaned over the bed, holding her as she held their baby, and fuck did they look happy. I couldn't take that from them if I tried. Seeing a man I shared everything with for a decade, holding a baby that wasn't mine looking so happy, maybe even happier than he ever was with me, killed a part of me. What replaced all of that anger and grief, was just acceptance."

"I don't know if I can."

"Go support him when she has the baby," Monica said and Yumi looked away, "I'm serious. You said you're tired of being a stranger to your friends. Being a friend is being there even when it hurts and is inconvenient. It'll make sense when you do."

"I already have enough friends having babies.." Yumi said, then realized Aelita was eight months a month ago. Calling Aelita as she walked outside of the bar, Yumi almost fell but caught herself on a light pole.

"Hello?" Aleta's voice said a moment later.

"Stop answering your moms phone," Yumi said playfully and Aleta went to get Aelita for her, "Please tell me that kid is still in your uterus and I didn't miss it."

"Michelle Belpois, after Jeremie's dad. Eight pounds, four ounces…"

"Ouch…"

"Finally got a girl with pink hair," Aelita said with a smile.

"And I fucking missed it again," Yumi said and started to cry, sat down, placing her back on the light pole, "Do I even have the right to call you my friend at this point."

"I know when you're drunk Yumi. Get some sleep," Aelita said and Yumi sniffed loudly, "We'll never not be friends. But you're right, right now we're strangers."

"Why didn't you tell me I dropped Aleta? Why would you ever let me near your children again after that?" Yumi asked.

"Go to sleep Yumi, I'm not having this conversation when you're like this," Aelita said as Yumi started crying louder, "Yumi."

"I'm sorry," Yumi said, hiccuping, "I'd would have apologized everyday for seven years if I knew. And I still wouldn't be sorry enough."

"You're still the aunt Yumi who taught her to curse and do cartwheels. You're still the one who built forts and played tag. You're still the Yumi who taught Alan how to make origami throwing stars and terrorize us…"

"Sorry…"

"I forgave you the day it happened. I can't even pretend to know what's going on in your head or your heart, but for the love of god Yumi, sort your shit out."

"Wow, I made Aelita curse."

"You drive me crazier than five kids," Aelita said with a giggle that made Yumi laugh, "I love you Yumi, sort it out."

"Okay mom," Yumi said, them saying bye and both hanging up. Yumi looked up at Monica who had paid the tab and was now standing over her.

"She had a girl," Yumi said and pulled herself to her feet, "I'm hanging by a thread here. I'm one bad visit away from a full break down. I don't see how watching the love of my life having a baby is what coaxes me off the cliff."

"I'm not promising one way or the other. But you'll either move on or go over the edge. Or you can choose to spend the rest of your life on the brink. I don't think you can survive another ten years on the brink," Monica said stopped a cab, "I'm going to the hotel."

"You're leaving me?"

"I'm letting you self destruct in peace," Monica said and closed the cab door and drove off. Yumi sighed and looked at the bar, but decided to walk passed it, instead of in.


	10. You're Ready

Two months later everyone got the message they had all been waiting for; Selena was in labor. Yumi had been back in Europe for only a week when she woke up at three in the morning from a her phone chiming. Yumi let out a groan as she felt around her side table until her hand touched her phone. It was a message from Aelita telling her it was baby time.

Sitting up, Yumi rubbed the back of her head and took in a deep breath. Since getting back together with Selena, Ulrich had moved from Berlin to Frankfurt, so Yumi could be there from Paris in roughly six hours pending traffic.

Getting dressed really quick, making some instant coffee and taking a fruit for the drive Yumi grabbed her keys and left her apartment.

For six hours Yumi drove, and was tempted to turn on every exit. Some part of her knew she had to be there. Just to believe it was real. Pulling into the parking lot of the hospital, Yumi sat in her car and checked her phone. Sending a text to Aelita, she found out Selena hadn't had the baby yet. Part of her wanted to put the car in reverse and pull away, but she still killed the engine and exited.

Entering through the sliding glass door Yumi walked to the front desk to ask where the maternity ward was, went up to the third floor and exited the elevator. Looking both ways she paused when saw the desk next to the waiting room where William had Allison leaned on him asleep and Aelita holding Michelle. Aleta was there as well, her looking the most restless while Jeremie was with the rest of the kids back home.

Yumi took a deep breathe and walked into the room, everyone awake raising their heads and all equally shocked to see her.

"Yumi?" Aelita asked, standing up with Michelle.

"Aunt Yumi!" Aletta shouted and jumped across the room and rammed her head into her stomach as she hugged her.

"Geez, miss me much," Yumi said and hugged her back.

"You actually came," Aelita said and Yumi shrugged.

"I can't complain I'm a stranger, and not show up at the same time," Yumi said and looked at Michelle who was sleeping calmly, already with a head of pink hair, "You told me to sort it out."

"Want to hold her?" Aelita asked, Yumi nodding and taking Michelle.

"I promise I won't drop this one," Yumi said and Aelita raised her eyebrows, "Too soon?"

"She's at eight centimeters now, looking like less than an hour," Aelita said and Yumi tried to remember what that meant.

"I don't know what that means."

"She needs to be ten centimeters to be dilated, and her contractions are already three minutes apart."

Yumi then had to ask what that meant too.

* * *

Forty seven minutes later Ulrich stepped into the room in scrubs and saw Yumi, but said nothing immediately.

"Umm, seven pounds, nine ounces...I have a son," Ulrich said and everyone cheered and hugged him. They all went to the room, hugging and congratulating him as they passed, Yumi standing still.

"I haven't heard from you, take it you're not," Ulrich said and Yumi shook her head. Ulrich didn't know what to say, unsure if it was a good thing or bad thing to her that she wasn't.

"I'll be in there, I just need a minute. Not sure I'm ready to see that, quite yet," Yumi said, Ulrich nodding in understanding.

"It still means a lot that you're here at all. More than you know," Ulrich said with a smile that Yumi returned before looking away with a chuckle.

"Go be a daddy," Yumi said, Ulrich nodding again and walking back to the room.

* * *

Yumi sat in the waiting room for two hours before Aelita finally notice she wasn't there and left to check on her. Yumi raised her eyes and flashing her a weak smile. Aelita sat next to her and neither said anything for a full minute before Aelita turned to her.

"It's really brave of you to be here, I'm proud of you," Aelita said, making Yumi laugh.

"Brave? I haven't been in the room yet," Yumi said and Aelita grinned.

"It is."

"I'm done with being a stranger to you guys. If this is part of that, then so be it. If I have to spend the rest of my life watching him be happy with someone else, then at least I'll know he's happy."

"He's happy. They're happy. You aren't though."

"I know, and that's my own fault," Yumi said and looked at her feet, "I've finally accepted that."

"One last thing to do," Aelita said, Yumi nodded and released a breath as she walked with her to Selena's room. Stopping just short of the door Yumi closed her eyes before poking her head in and seeing everyone.

Allison was holding Michelle while William was laughing with Aleta while playing a game. Selena had made room for Ulrich in her bed, allowing him to squeeze next to her. Selena held their baby boy in her arms, with Ulrich's arm draped over her, him smiling down at them. His other hand was softly touching his son's face. Selena and Ulrich looked at each other, and held a gaze that made Yumi's heart flutter.

It hurt, but it wasn't painful. It was confirming and calming. Instead of a fist full of rage, tears, or a heart of jealousy, it was just happy. For the first time ever, she saw Ulrich with another girl, and she was okay with it. It didn't bother her anymore.

Selena turned toward the door and saw Yumi, making a confused face at her. She wasn't confused by her presence, but by her expression. All Selena saw on Yumi's face was acceptance and peace. Like a large burden had just been lifted from her shoulders.

Yumi walked into the room and calmly sat next to them.

"What did you name him?" Yumi asked and Selena smiled back, their eyes telling each other everything with no need to speak about it.

"Adam, after my dad," Selena said and adjusted toward Yumi, "Do you want to hold him?"

"Are you sure?" Yumi asked.

"If there is one thing I know for sure, everyone gets another chance," Selena said and Yumi tried to stop a few tears but couldn't, quickly wiping them away before everyone noticed. Selena released a giggle as she handed him off, Yumi cradling him and rocking back and forth.

"I'm your aunt Yumi, and I'm going to teach you to terrorize them," Yumi said and Selena laughed, "The question is, ninja or pirate?"

"Pirate please, I think he'd be quite dashing as a buccaneer," Selena answered.

"Pirate it is. If his first words are not scallywag, I failed as an aunt."

* * *

Eventually everyone had to leave, Yumi meeting with Aelita in the hallway as she rounded up Aleta and carried Michelle in the carrier. Yumi smiled into the room and looked back at her.

"You okay?" Aelita asked and Yumi nodded.

"Ten years ago I said I'd be ready, when seeing him with another girl didn't bother me. It doesn't anymore," Yumi said with and laughed in joy, "It doesn't bother me."

"What does that mean exactly?" Aelita asked.

"It means I'm ready, for that," Yumi said and pointed into the room, Aelita looking into it.

"You've watched everyone else. Your turn," Aelita said and Yumi hugged her, "Go find that lucky guy."

"I'll be the lucky one," Yumi said and waved at Selena before she left.

Yumi walked to her car, and sat in it for a few minutes just laughing and crying. Wiping her face, she started her car and looked at herself in the rear view mirror before she backed up.

"You're ready," Yumi said to herself, and for the first time in her life, she actually meant it.

* * *

 ** _That concludes the second part of the "Dear Diary" Trilogy. Part three is in the works._**


End file.
